The Mountain Men of the far west hunted usually for beaver pelts and other furs of the forests of North America. This web quest is meant for students to learn about these people through an fun and interactive way of learning rather than through a textbook. Students; you are business men/women who closely work with these Mountain Men and own a beaver pelt business.
The Task:
Your job is to provide a sheet of your income and how much money is made and used at the end of three months of your business. If your earnings are not at least 10% or more of your income, you business is shut down. Students will work in groups of four to provide the teacher with all of the aspects of the project as stated:
~ A map showing the location of where these men hunted for pelts
~ A power point presentation about what the life of these men was and how did they receive their name, their diet, etc.
~ An essay (5 paragraphs minimum) about the fur trade.
~ Research the prices of specific types of fur and how valuable different pelts were. This will help you to build up your budget. For example, if you specialize in a certain type of fur, it may cost more for manufacturing etc.
~ A budget sheet stating all of your earnings. (Your budget sheet should include employee salaries, traveling, manufacturing the fur, and shipping it to other places.) You should also think about the cost of tools and traps as well nets. It really depends on what variety of game do you choose to specialize in.
Remember: Think about the location of your business. You may want to think about a location where animal fur is abundant. This would help you to sell more without having to ship the goods from place to place as often. Most importantly, it will help you to pay off any expenses you have.
